Every now and then the volatile uncharted Sea of Creativity by chance of luck, or by divine power, allows one soul to safely cross back home. And every now and then the homecoming of the long forgotten hero is the same…
Heads are turned, eyebrows are raised, jaws are dropped and the murmur stops when battered hero reveals his prize. In these rare moments even the most eloquent onlookers find themselves baffled with nothing smart to say.
The long silence is suddenly broken by the clapping of the village simpleton. He may not know the right words to describe a masterpiece, but knows one when he sees one. Soon others fall in until the clapping erupts in a thundering ovation.
Something like that occurred when Garmadon revealed his three years building project, the galleon Buccaneer’s Dread, inside the world’s largest LEGO Pirate forum.
Almost every great pirate story has the ‘Plank walking’ scene and an unfortunate damsel in distress… and this great MOC is no different. Garmadon knows his audience
Garmadon writes:
Captain Nordau, most feared blackflag captain of the Brick Seas, returns to terrorize the oceans! Took him long enough. He’s got a slight upgrade from the rowboat though!
This was supposed to be a three week build back when I started it at the beginning of 2020, and then I had the crazy idea of trying to get it to BrickWorld 2020… and then covid happened and well, three years later, here we finally are!
Oh, and this vessel is actually for sale! Let me know if you’re interested!
Believe it or not, the inspiration for this magnificent MOC came from a piece of artwork designed for a puzzle, of all things
Would you consider purchasing this beauty? It’s actually up for SALE, and this is not a joke! Best to contact Garmadon and get more info either via Eurobricks private message, or via Flickr message. The early bird gets the worm, so be quick as there’s only one ship like this in the whole entire world!
The Dreaded Exterior
Having only one picture didn’t stop this talented builder from pursuing his passion in building a LEGO version , mostly through trial and error, until everything finally clicked into place
And mind you, this painstaking trial and error was endured the good old fashioned way, with the use of only the real bricks – no help from digital design tools whatsoever!
Governor’s daughter or not, prolonged nagging will see you sentenced to walk the plank! Ye be warned
Working his way up to the upper decks, Garmadon used some inspiration from the Black Pearl and the San Francisco II – the most fearsome galleon of the Spanish Armada
Uh-oh, flirting with danger… Nietzsche was right: “The true man wants two things: danger and play. For that reason he wants a pirate woman, as the most dangerous plaything.”
That’s one big main mast, but then again, this is a one big ship… Hey look! There’s Spinoza
A whooping 100+ hours went only in rigging, and look at the final result – it’s gorgeous!
Apparently the General History of the Robberies & Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates, by Charles Captain Johnson, is a mandatory read for any bricknerd pirate wanna-be
A lavishly accessorised stern and two mates who chat while starnig over the castle at the rolling waters far below
Historically, over the years the armament and protection of the stern gave way to carved garlands and figures, galleries and balconies, thus making the stern the most vulnerable part of the ship
And look at this ingenious idea; by making the starboard side open for prying eyes we, mere mortals, gain a better look of the Garmadon talent and indoors creativity
Cool, there’s a shark hanging upside down, right there near the cook
“The king probably sailed on this ship before the pirates boarded it.” ship expert builder NOD concluded in amazement, and we agree
The Imperial Guards would think twice about taking such a formidable vessel on!
The Dreaded Interior
Garmadon continues:
Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention – of course it has an interior! (Yes I’m mad – did I already say that?)
Oh, and in the meantime, I got an amazing offer from the generous guys at Lightailing to review their lights and sound effect boards, so yeah, that’s been awesome too!
Starting from the front and working our way around to the back – up in first deck’s forecastle we’ve got the galley, with a hearty stew brewing and a hanging shark (seen earlier)
But it was to be pork chops today! Here piggy, piggy, come over here
A swarthy pirate stows away the barrels of rum in the hold below
While a petty officer keeps an eye (his only eye) on his private stash…
At the stern is the powder room with kegs upon kegs of ammunition stowed away for piratical peaceful expeditions. Not sure the midshipman ought to have a lantern in there… but anyways
Not much to fear from these Imperialists though…
Hammocks are for regular merchant seaman, yo ho ho a pirate bed for me
And here’s the real stash. Only the parrot and the quartermaster know these secrets…
The Specifications
- 72 gun galleon
- 36 crew (including skeletons)
Time required:
- Building time: 3 years
- 100+ hours of rigging
- A couple of days in sail making and sewing
Measurements:
- 117 studs at the waterline: 3’/90cm
- 165 studs to point of bowsprit: 4’3″/129.5cm
- ~58 studs crossbeam: 1’7″/48.2cm
- ~170 studs tall: 4’5″/48.2cm
- Weight: ~35 pounds / ~15.8 kg
- Brick count: no idea!
One behind the scenes / size comparison image of the Evil Lord Garmadon and his prized MOC. For the record, builders height is 5’10” / 1.78m
Garmadon concludes:
And that, mates, is the Buccaneer’s Dread!
If I’m not mistaken, it be the largest physical ship in the Brick Seas yet – but I’d love for someone else to break that record before long!
Brick Seas? What, you’ve never heard of the Brethren of the Brick Seas, more commonly known as the BoBS? Then read on!
Brethren of the Brick Seas
What is it?
BoBS is a role-playing building game set in the age of discovery. It is the world of the four factions, where all factions interact, cooperate, compete and struggle for power, just like the players inside the faction do.
How do players and their factions compete?
Mainly by building MOCs through the official challenges, mini-challenges, and the free builds. Every player has a role in the development of the Brick Seas and the potential to alter geopolitics, and eventually history.
How does one learn more, or joins this game?
If you want to learn more, dig your way through the quick start guide to BoBS.
Not Finished Yet!
Before we return to the blueprint of our lives, Garmadon has one last treat for us in a form of short video. The most impressive part of the video are undoubtedly the devastating guns, firing volley after volley at the imagined foe. Enjoy!
About the Builder…
Garmadon, not to be mistaken with the Ninjago Lord Garmadon, is a Bible-believing Christian, pianist, creative writer, reader, and homeschool graduate, who started out heavily into Castle and then branched out widely to other themes, most notably to his favourite Ninjago Pirate theme. Ever since diving into the online community in 2012, he has been deeply engaged in RPGs. Not surprisingly, he was is still one of the founding leaders of the Brethren of the Brick Seas RPG (go Eslandola!).
As one versatile builder, with a wide range of ideas and abilities – ranging from microbuilds and minifigs to vignettes, excellent ships and also large scenes, he regularly shares his work via his Flickr and YouTube channel.
More creations by Garmadon and other fellow BoBS members, alongside with other amazing MOCs can be seen at BoBS and Pirate MOCs subforum, where you are invited to come and tell us if this is the best ship MOC you have ever seen, and if not, what is?
